just picked up a 92 4x4 truck last night with a a518 and it has no reverse and no neutral, forward gears work though. yes by no neutral i mean its either in park or forward, does not let you roll it backwards or anything, it's like neutral is non existent.

ideas?

thanks

 

My TDI Golf did that last year after only 280,000 miles. Irritating. And a death sentence for the VW transmission.
In short, something is broken inside. Badly. There are enough 518s out there to fix yours though. Plan on pulling it would be my opinion.
Was it cheap?

 

Yea im thinkin about taking the trans to my trans guy and getting it checked out. He cuts great deals with us because im bestfriends with his son....i just hope the case isnt ruined or anything

 

Are the forward gears in order P R N 3 2 1? Could it be a reverse valve body?

 

"No reverse(D ranges OK)

1. Gearshift linkage is either out of adjustment or damaged.
2. Rear band is out of adjustment.
3. Valve body malfiunction (stuck/damaged manual valve, regulator valve, or check ball.
4. Rear servo or front clutch malfuntion."

This is out of the FSM. I would go to the linkage first. The manual shift lever and park rod assembly are held in the selected position by a spring and detent ball. This lever came loose from the shaft on my truck. I dropped the pan and found the ball against the trash magnet. If you take the shift linkage loose at the tranny you should find it difficult to move the manual lever and it should be held by the detent ball. If it rotates easy you may have the same problem. The gear selector linkage engages a flat on the manual lever. The smaller one above it is to the throttle lever.

Outside the tranny these are located on the driver's side right above the pan flange. The electrical connection is to the overdrive solenoid.